Floribunda rose plant named &#39;Poulcas043&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new garden rose plant of the Floribunda class which has abundant, white flowers and attractive foliage. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Rosa hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Poulcas043’

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of garden rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between the female seed parent, an unnamed seedling, and the male pollen parent, also an unnamed seedling.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2000 and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark. The new variety, named ‘Poulcas043’, originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new variety may be distinguished from its male pollen parent and female seed parent by the following characteristic. The female seed parent and the male pollen parent have light pink flowers, while the new plant has white flowers.

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety was to create a new and distinct variety for garden use with unique qualities, such as:

1. Uniform and abundant white flowers;

2. Vigorous, but compact growth when propagated both as a budded rose and on its own roots;

3. Exceptional disease resistance.

This combination of qualities is not present in previously available commercial cultivars of this type, known to the inventor, and distinguish ‘Poulcas043’ from all other varieties of which we are aware.

As part of the rose development program, Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization during winter of 2000 and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark. ‘Poulcas043’ was selected in the spring of 2001 by the inventor as a single plant from the progeny of the aforementioned hybridization.

Asexual reproduction of ‘Poulcas043’ by traditional budding and rooted cuttings was first done by Mogens N. Olesen in the nursery in Fredensborg, Denmark in July, 2001. This initial and other subsequent asexual propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Poulcas043’ are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Poulcas043’. Specifically illustrated in FIG. 1 are open flowers, petals detached, and flower buds. FIG. 2 shows leaves, stems, and a flowering branch. Plants shown are 2 years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a description of ‘Poulcas043’,as observed in its growth in a field nursery in Marion County, Oreg. Observed plants are 2 years of age, and were grown on their own roots. Observed plants are 3 years of age, and were grown on Rosa multiflora understock. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the non-patented rose variety ‘Korbin’, are compared to ‘Poulcas043’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Poulcas043’ ‘Korbin’ Petalage about 65 about 25 Flower Diameter 70 mm 60 mm Fragrance None Strong

-   Flower and flower bud:     -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous.         -   Flower bud.—Size: Upon opening, 30 mm in length from base of             receptacle to end of bud. Bud diameter is 15 mm. Bud form:             Ovoid. Bud color: As sepals divide petals are White Group             155A with intonations of Yellow-Green Group 145C. Sepal             inner surface: Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B. Surface:             Lightly pubescent. Sepal outer surface: Color: Yellow-Green             Group 144A with intonations of Greyed-Purple Group 187C.             Texture: Smooth. Sepal Shape: Apex: Cirrhose. Base: Flat at             union with receptacle. Sepal Margin: Margins have weak             foliaceous appendages on three of the five sepals. Sepal             size: 32 mm long, 10 mm wide. Receptacle: Texture: Smooth.             Size: 10 mm in height, 7 mm wide. Color: Yellow-Green Group             144A with intonations of Greyed-Purple Group 187C. Shape:             Elongated campanulate. Pedicel: Surface: Smooth. Length:             35 mm. Diameter: 3 mm on average. Color: Yellow-Green Group             146D with intonations of Greyed-Red Group 181A. Strength:             Strong. Peduncle: Length: 5 to 15 cm. Diameter: 4 mm. Color:             Yellow-Green Group 145A with intonations of Greyed-Red Group             181A.         -   Flower bud development.—Flower buds are borne in panicle             like clusters of 3 to 5 flower buds on each peduncle.         -   Flower bloom.—Fragrance: None. Duration: The blooms have a             duration on the plant of approximately 14 days. Petals fall             cleanly away from plant after flowers have fully matured.             Size: Flower diameter is 70 mm when open. Flower depth is             35 mm. Flower shape: Rosette double flowers with many             slightly overlapping petals of different sizes. Shape of             flower, side view: The upper portion is flat. The lower             portion is concave.         -   Petalage.—Under normal conditions, flowers have 65 petals             total, 7 to 10 of which are petaloids. General Tonality of             Flower: Open flowers are White Group 155D. Petal Color: Upon             opening, outer & inner petals Upper surface: White Group             155D. Lower surface: White Group 155D. Basal petal spots: No             distinctive coloration at the petal base observed. After             opening, outer & inner petals Upper surface: White Group             155D. Lower surface: White Group 155D. Basal petal spots: No             distinctive coloration at the petal base observed. Petals:             Petal Reflex: Flat. Margin: Entire and uniform. Moderate             undulations. Shape: Generally rounded. Apex shape: Rounded.             Base shape: Rounded. Size: 40 mm (l)×40 mm (w). Texture:             Smooth. Thickness: Average. Petaloids: Size: 17 mm (l) by 8             mm (w). Quantity: 7 to 10. Shape: Elliptic. Base and apex             are acute. Color: White Group 155D. Reproductive Organs:             Pollen: None observed. Anthers: Size: 2 mm in length. Color:             Yellow Group 6A. Quantity: 40 on average. Filaments: Color:             Yellow Group 4D. Length: 11 mm. Pistils: Length: 5 mm.             Quantity: 15 on average. Stigmas: Color: Green-White Group             157A. Styles: Color: Green-White Group 157A. Location of             stigmas: Inferior in location relative to the length of the             filaments and the height of the anthers. Hips: None             Observed. -   Plant:     -   -   Plant growth.—Upright, bushy. Plants are 100 to 120 cm in             height, and 100 cm wide.         -   Stems.—Color: Juvenile growth: Yellow-Green Group 144B with             anthocyanin the color of Greyed-Orange Group 173B. Mature             growth: Yellow-Green Group 144A. Length: On average, canes             are 60 cm from the base of the plant to the flowering             portion. Diameter: 8 mm. Internodes: On mature canes, there             is an average distance of 30 mm between nodes. Surface             Texture: Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.         -   Long prickles.—Incidence: 10 prickles per 10 cm of stem.             Size: Average length of prickles on mature stems is 9 mm.             Shape: Upper portion is linear. Lower portion is concave.             Color: Juvenile prickles: Greyed-Orange Group 173B. Mature             prickles: Greyed-Red Group 180B.         -   Plant foliage.—Compound leaf: 180 mm (l)×111 (w). Quantity:             3 leaves per 10 cm of stem on average. Leaf bearing angle to             the stem: 45 degrees. Color of juvenile foliage: Upper side:             Yellow-Green Group 146C with intonations of Greyed-Red Group             181A. Lower side: Yellow-Green Group 146C with intonations             of Greyed-Red Group 181A. Color of mature foliage: Upper             side: Yellow-Green Group 147A. Lower side: Yellow-Green             Group 146B.         -   Plant leaves and leaflets.—Stipules: Size: 30 mm long, 3 mm             wide. Quantity: 2 per compound leaf. Shape: Linear, slightly             broad based with outward extending apices. Margins: Finely             serrated. Color: Yellow-Green Group 147A. Petiole: Length:             40 mm. Diameter: 2 mm. Upper surface: Color: Yellow-Green             Group 146B. Lower surface: Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B.             Rachis: Length: 70 mm Upper surface: Color: Yellow-Green             Group 146B. Lower surface: Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B.             Observations: Small prickles Greyed-Red Group 179B. Leaflet:             Quantity: Normally leaflets. Margins: Dentate. Size: On             average terminal leaflets are 55 mm long, 40 mm wide. Shape:             Generally elliptical somewhat deltoid. Base: Rounded. Apex:             Cuspidate. Texture: Smooth. Thickness: Average. Arrangement:             Odd pinnate. Venation: Reticulate. Glossiness: Very glossy.         -   Disease resistance.—Above average resistance to powdery             mildew Sphaerotheca pannosa, downy mildew Peronospora             sparsa, rust Phragmidium sps., black spot Diplocarpon rosae,             and Botrytis cinerea under normal growing conditions.         -   Cold hardiness.—The variety is tolerant to USDA Cold             Hardiness Zone 6.         -   Heat tolerance.—The variety has been found to be suitable             for climate conditions found in the American Horticulture             Society heat zone 7. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the Floribunda rose class named ‘Poulcas043’, substantially as illustrated and described herein, due to its abundant white flowers, disease resistance, and extended period of bloom. 